A Northern Piece of the Broughtons: Huaskin Lake at Turnbull
Cove
by Carol-Ann Giroday
It
pays to be a skilled eavesdropper. It was in this way
that we found ourselves in Turnbull Cove our first summer
exploring the Broughton Archipelago. I listened from our
VHF radio to several other cruisers talking about Turnbull
Cove, Claydon Bay and Nepah Lagoon. We entered the area
from Wells Passage, up Grappler Sound north as far as
you could go into Turnbull Cove, across from Watson Island.
Nearby is Nepah Lagoon with rapids at its entrance. They
call them “Roaring Hole Rapids” and as you
approach you can see the mist from the turbulent water
and hear the roar as the water empties or fills the lagoon
through a narrow passageway. The drop is about two feet
when the water is going in or coming out of the lagoon.
When we arrived and motored
into Turnbull Cove we were surprised how large an area
it was. It is a bay with beautiful scenery and very protected.
As we motored around looking for the ideal anchor spot
I noticed through my binoculars a sign on the east shoreline
close to the head of the bay. The sign marked a forest
service trail off the northeast shore of the cove leading
to Huaskin Lake. The lake appears on the chart but is
not named. I looked up Turnbull Cove in several of my
boating books and finally found the name in the Waggoner
Cruising Guide.
The
next morning, after breakfast, we returned to the spot
in our inflatable. We secured our tender and started up
the trail. It was a steep uphill climb and just about
when I thought I wasn’t able to replicate a mountain
goat any longer and my burning calves could endure it
not one step further, the trail flattened out and we went
down the other side to the lake by a staircase made of
logs complete with handrail. As we descended the staircase
the lake came into view. It was a beautiful, clean clear
green color with a sturdy dock leading out to it and a
ladder at its end. Surrounding the edge of the float was
a picnic table, a platform for tenting and a fire pit.
A short distance from the float was an anchored log raft
to swim out to. The water was beautiful and warm and we
had the lake all to ourselves.
As is often the case, the
return hike seemed a quicker and easier go than the calf
burning climb to get there. When we returned to our anchored
Sea Foam again we marveled at the diversity of the environment
here. Located within minutes of each other was a serene
and secluded lake, a large, scenic sheltered bay with
many boats at anchor, and a formidable set of rapids leading
to a huge lagoon. We knew we had just scratched the surface
and would have more exploring to do. Undoubtedly we would
be back for another swim next summer and further exploration
in Nepah Lagoon.
Carol-Ann
Giroday and her husband, Rick LeBlanc, live aboard their
40 foot TransPac Eagle pilot house, the “MV Sea
Foam” in the Fraser River at Mission, B.C., Canada.
Carol-Ann is a teacher and Rick is a Professional Engineer.
They love to explore by land, sea and under the sea with
hiking, kayaking, and scuba diving. They have been boating
in the Pacific Northwest for the past fifteen years. During
Christmas and Easter they cruise close to home in the
Gulf Islands and in the summer months they head farther
a field to the northern BC coast for more cruising pleasure.
To learn more about their adventures and follow along
on this summer’s trip visit their website at http://www3.telus.net/public/rickisea
It
pays to be a skilled eavesdropper. It was in this way
that we found ourselves in Turnbull Cove our first summer
exploring the Broughton Archipelago. I listened from our
VHF radio to several other cruisers talking about Turnbull
Cove, Claydon Bay and Nepah Lagoon. We entered the area
from Wells Passage, up Grappler Sound north as far as
you could go into Turnbull Cove, across from Watson Island.
Nearby is Nepah Lagoon with rapids at its entrance. They
call them “Roaring Hole Rapids” and as you
approach you can see the mist from the turbulent water
and hear the roar as the water empties or fills the lagoon
through a narrow passageway. The drop is about two feet
when the water is going in or coming out of the lagoon.
The
next morning, after breakfast, we returned to the spot
in our inflatable. We secured our tender and started up
the trail. It was a steep uphill climb and just about
when I thought I wasn’t able to replicate a mountain
goat any longer and my burning calves could endure it
not one step further, the trail flattened out and we went
down the other side to the lake by a staircase made of
logs complete with handrail. As we descended the staircase
the lake came into view. It was a beautiful, clean clear
green color with a sturdy dock leading out to it and a
ladder at its end. Surrounding the edge of the float was
a picnic table, a platform for tenting and a fire pit.
A short distance from the float was an anchored log raft
to swim out to. The water was beautiful and warm and we
had the lake all to ourselves.
Carol-Ann
Giroday and her husband, Rick LeBlanc, live aboard their
40 foot TransPac Eagle pilot house, the “MV Sea
Foam” in the Fraser River at Mission, B.C., Canada.
Carol-Ann is a teacher and Rick is a Professional Engineer.
They love to explore by land, sea and under the sea with
hiking, kayaking, and scuba diving. They have been boating
in the Pacific Northwest for the past fifteen years. During
Christmas and Easter they cruise close to home in the
Gulf Islands and in the summer months they head farther
a field to the northern BC coast for more cruising pleasure.
To learn more about their adventures and follow along
on this summer’s trip visit their website at